Identifying biomarkers related to motor function in chronic stroke: A fNIRS and TMS study

Upper limb motor impairment commonly occurs after stroke, impairing quality of life. Brain network reorganization likely differs between subgroups with differing impairment severity. This study explored differences in functional connectivity (FC) and corticospinal tract (CST) integrity between patients with mild/moderate versus severe hemiplegia poststroke to clarify the neural correlates underlying motor deficits.

Sixty chronic stroke patients with upper limb motor impairment were categorized into mild/moderate and severe groups based on Fugl-Meyer scores. Resting-state FC was assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to compare connectivity patterns between groups across motor regions. CST integrity was evaluated by inducing motor evoked potentials (MEP) via transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Compared to the mild/moderate group, the severe group exhibited heightened premotor cortex-primary motor cortex (PMC-M1) connectivity (t = 4.56, p < 0.01). Absence of MEP was also more frequent in the severe group (χ² = 12.31, p = 0.01). Bayesian models effectively distinguished subgroups and identified the PMC-M1 connection as highly contributory (accuracy = 91.30%, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.86).

Distinct patterns of connectivity and corticospinal integrity exist between stroke subgroups with differing impairments. Strengthened connectivity potentially indicates recruitment of additional motor resources to compensate for damage. These findings elucidate the neural correlates underlying motor deficits poststroke and could guide personalized, network-based therapies targeting predictive biomarkers to improve rehabilitation outcomes.